Leslie Hoffman

Stuntwoman / Stunt Coordinator


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In her three-hour interview, Leslie Hoffman speaks about her training at Paul Stader's gym in the 1970s, which launched her into her first job as a stuntwoman on the feature film Two-Minute Warning. Hoffman describes her work on various television series of the 1970s, including Police Story, Emergency, Laverne & Shirley, M*A*S*H, Charlie's Angels, Columbo, and The Love Boat. She recalls in detail one of her most spectacular stunts, making a 78-foot jump off the "Love Boat" in the series' second episode. She discusses being the first stuntwoman elected to the Board of Directors of SAG, the AFTRA Los Angeles Local Board, and AFTRA National Boards in the 1980s. In addition to describing her stunt work on such 1980's series as Fantasy Island, Private Benjamin, and Falcon Crest, she talks about her extensive work as Doris Roberts' stunt double during the run of Remington Steele. Hoffman then describes her work as a stunt coordinator on the television after-school special Me and My Hormones, which was Melissa Gilbert's directorial debut. Finally, Hoffman discusses her work as a stuntwoman and assistant stunt coordinator on the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. Hoffman also recounts her work in several feature films including I Wanna Hold Your Hand, 1941, Airplane!, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!. Throughout the interview, Hoffman defines and describes the tools of the trade and other stunt terminology. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on March 10, 2003 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"Never took a stunt that I wasn't able to do. And, being on Board of Directors of Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA, I made a difference in young performers' lives."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for M*A*S*H
01:02
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Voyager
07:08
Leslie Hoffman on a stunt she performed on Columbo involving a spiral staircase
02:47
Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for Centennial 
03:37
Leslie Hoffman on the risks of a high jump stunt and precautions she takes
02:49
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On her early life and influences; on her training as an actress; on deciding she wanted to be a stunt person
On training to be a stunt woman; on stunt people she trained with; on marketing herself as a stuntwoman; on doing stunt work for Police Story

Chapter 2

On how doing stunts for television compares to doing stunts for movies; on being assigned stunts and what constitutes a stunt; on rehearsing stunts and the pay scale for stunts
On doing stunts for Emergency; on doing stunts for Love Boat; on dealing with life or death situations as a stunt person; on doing stunts for M*A*S*H

Chapter 3

On performing stunts for M*A*S*H, Columbo, and The Chuck Barris Rah Rah Show; on performing stunts for Centennial, The Hardy Boys Mysteries and Charlie's Angels
On the risks of a stunt person and precautions she takes; on performing various kinds of stunts; on doing stunt work for the feature film "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"

Chapter 4

On doing stunts for the feature film "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"; on doing stunts for the feature film "1941"; on being on the board of the Screen Actors Guild
On serving on the SAG Safety Committee in 1982; on safety conditions for stunt people; on doing stunt work for various feature films

Chapter 5

On doing stunts for various feature films; on doing stunts for Fantasy Island; on doing stunts for Getting There, The Gangster Chronicles, and The M unsters Revenge
On doing stunts for Private Benjamin, CHiPs, and Falcon Crest; on doing stunts for Melrose Place, Remington Steele and ABC Afterschool Specials
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Chapter 6

On stunts she performed on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine;  on doing stunts for Star Trek: Voyager;  on her favorite memories of working on the Star Trek shows
On advice to aspiring stunt people; on insurance issues that face stunt people; on keeping physically fit as a stunt person
On technical advances in digital effects since she started as a stunt person; on her proudest professional achievement; on how she'd like to be remembered
On B-roll pictures from her career: on the set of M*A*S*H; with Nancy Allen on the set of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"; doing a stunt for The Love Boat; on the set of Remington Steele; with Doris Roberts on the set of Remington Steele; with Rose Marie on the set of Remington Steele; with Pierce Brosnan on the set of Remington Steele; on the set of "The Naked Gun"; on the set of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; on the set of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; on the set of Star Trek: Voyager; various pictures from Star Trek; SAG Certificate of Appreciation; Board of Directors of SAG circa 1982; in her fire suit on fire
Shows

ABC Afterschool Specials

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Leslie Hoffman on being stunt coordinator for the ABC Afterschool Special  "Me and My Hormones"
01:14

CHiPs

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for CHiPs
00:46

Centennial

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Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for Centennial 
03:37

Charlie's Angels

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Charlie's Angels
01:04

Chuck Barris Rah Rah Show, The

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Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for The Chuck Barris Rah Rah Show
00:51

Columbo

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Leslie Hoffman on a stunt she performed on Columbo involving a spiral staircase
02:47

Emergency!

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Emergency
04:01

Falcon Crest

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Falcon Crest
01:27

Fantasy Island

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Leslie Hoffman on the stunts she performed on Fantasy Island and her reflections on the cast
03:46

Hardy Boys Mysteries, The

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Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for The Hardy Boys Mysteries
01:14

Love Boat, The

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Love Boat
09:55
Leslie Hoffman on how she felt after a Love Boat stunt
01:35

M*A*S*H

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for M*A*S*H
01:02
Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for M*A*S*H  and the atmosphere on set
02:40

Melrose Place

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Melrose Place
01:59

Munsters' Revenge, The

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for The Munsters' Revenge 
00:44

Police Story

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunt work for Police Story
02:08

Private Benjamin

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Private Benjamin 
00:28

Remington Steele

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Remington Steele
08:37

Star Trek

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Leslie Hoffman on Star Trek conventions
01:39

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  (Part 1)
07:05
Leslie Hoffman on stunts she performed on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
05:04
Leslie Hoffman on her favorite memories of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager
01:24

Star Trek: Voyager

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Voyager
07:08
Leslie Hoffman on her favorite memories of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager
01:24
Topics

Advice

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Leslie Hoffman on advice to aspiring stunt people
01:44

Technological Innovation

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Leslie Hoffman on technical advances in digital effects since she started as a stunt person
01:35

Television Industry

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Leslie Hoffman on advice to aspiring stunt people
01:44
Professions

Performers

View Profession
Leslie Hoffman on training to be a stuntwoman
04:29
Leslie Hoffman on rehearsing stunts
02:01
Leslie Hoffman on dealing with life or death situations as a stunt person
03:18
Leslie Hoffman on doing pratfalls
03:38
Leslie Hoffman on doing staircase falls
02:38
Leslie Hoffman on performing fire stunts
06:20
Leslie Hoffman on the risks of a high jump stunt and precautions she takes
02:49
Leslie Hoffman on advice to aspiring stunt people
01:44

Stunt Performer/Stunt Supervisor/Stunt Coordinator

View Profession
Leslie Hoffman on training to be a stuntwoman
04:29
Leslie Hoffman on rehearsing stunts
02:01
Leslie Hoffman on dealing with life or death situations as a stunt person
03:18
Leslie Hoffman on doing pratfalls
03:38
Leslie Hoffman on doing staircase falls
02:38
Leslie Hoffman on performing fire stunts
06:20
Leslie Hoffman on the risks of a high jump stunt and precautions she takes
02:49
Leslie Hoffman on advice to aspiring stunt people
01:44
Genres

Children's Programming

View Genre
Leslie Hoffman on being stunt coordinator for the ABC Afterschool Special  "Me and My Hormones"
01:14

Comedy Series

View Genre
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Love Boat
14:45
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for M*A*S*H
01:03
Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for M*A*S*H  and the atmosphere on set
02:40
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Private Benjamin 
00:28

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

View Genre
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunt work for Police Story
02:08
Leslie Hoffman on a stunt she performed on Columbo  involving a spiral staircase
02:47
Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for The Hardy Boys Mysteries
01:14
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Charlie's Angels
01:05
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for CHiPs
00:46
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Remington Steele
08:37

Daytime/Primetime Serials

View Genre
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Falcon Crest
01:27

Drama Series

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Melrose Place
01:59

Medical Dramas

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Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Emergency
04:01

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

View Genre
Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for The Chuck Barris Rah Rah Show
00:51

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

View Genre
Leslie Hoffman on the stunts she performed on Fantasy Island  and reflections on the cast 
03:46
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
07:05
Leslie Hoffman on stunts she performed on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Part 2)
05:04
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Voyager
10:11

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

View Genre
Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for Centennial 
03:37
Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for The Munsters Revenge 
00:44

All Interviews

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